Monning seeks soda warnings

SACRAMENTO -- Sen. Bill Monning doesn't want to ban Big Gulps, but he announced legislation Thursday to make sure they come with a stern warning.

Monning, a Carmel Democrat who for years pushed for a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, on Thursday unveiled a new approach: he wants sodas and other sugary drinks to come with labels rivaling those on cigarettes and alcohol, warning consumers that their drinks are dangerous.

"That is not in dispute. That is science. That is hard evidence," Monning said. "What we seek to do is make that information more present to the consuming public, a consumer 'right-to-know,' if you will."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sugar-sweetened beverages are the leading cause of added sugars in the diets among American youth, and have been linked to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular and dental disease.

The industry group CalBev disputed that soda played a leading role in the U.S. obesity epidemic, saying a small fraction of average daily caloric consumption comes from sweetened beverages, and that the number has gone down 39 percent since 2000.

"We agree that obesity is a serious and complex issue. However, it is misleading to suggest that soft drink consumption is uniquely responsible for weight gain," the group said in a statement. "In fact, only 4 percent of calories in the average American diet are derived directly from soda. According to government data, foods, not beverages, are the top source of sugars in the American Diet."

A vocal public health advocate, Monning has tried to push California into the forefront nationally by using legislation to cut down on its consumption through taxes, which he wants to direct toward public health efforts.

Monning's new tactic would force manufacturers to add warnings to their labels documenting the health risks associated with excessive soda consumption. The effort echoes a letter written by health advocates in 2011 asking the head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to require warnings.

"What we're trying to say to the consuming public is, 'Stop, think, listen to the information that's being shared and reform your practices.' We're not taking away choice, we're not taking it off the shelves," Monning said.

A 2013 Field Poll showed more than two-thirds of Californians would support a tax on sweetened beverages if the revenue went to school nutrition programs. However, Monning's proposal has never found the same traction in the Legislature.

Studies have shown lower health care costs associated with a sweetened-beverage tax. A new study published Thursday in the American Journal of Public Health found a tax would also lead to job increases, with cuts in the sweetened-beverage industry offset of gains in other beverage industries and the government.

Sen. Bill Monning, D-Carmel, wants the following language added to can and bottles of most sweetened beverages in California: "STATE OF CALIFORNIA SAFETY WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay."